Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast

In this—perhaps the most ambitious episode we've ever attempted—Jaime and Patrick try to do justice to Elliot Goldenthal's towering achievement: his original score for Alien 3. Using original research and analysis, Goldenthal's own cue sheets, the full orchestral score, Patrick's background as a professional composer, and Jaime's encyclopedic knowledge of film soundtracks, the PO team wades deeply...

We're excited to bring our Patreon supporters another all-new, ongoing series—and we'd like to share this first episode with everyone! We're calling this new program Shit Show: The Lighter Side of Perfect Organism. You know those moments in Perfect Organism episodes where Jaime and Patrick just make fun of each other for five minutes? Shit Show is all about those moments. It's about taking ourselv...

As we close 2019, we wanted to take a moment to appreciate how much fun we've had this year. With this show, with each other, with our podcast family, and with all of you listening out there, wherever you are. Thank you for making 2019—Alien's 40th anniversary—completely unforgettable. We'll see you in the new year after a short break! // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.p...

In this second-to-last entry into our Forbidden Planet series, Patrick and Jaime welcome special guests AndieGeekGirl and Patrick's partner Micah Greene to discuss the character of Ellen Ripley. In this surprisingly sobering and philosophical discussion, we break down Ripley as an iconic character. She defied all expectations and gender norms; there is no one like Ellen Ripley, and there will like...

In this special bonus episode, Jaime and his writing partner, film director Eric Wallace, sit down to discuss their vision for what the Alien franchise could be. In this in-depth episode, friends and filmmakers discuss how they met as late-teens/early twenty-somethings, forging a friendship that's resulted in a partnership in what they hope could be a bold new vision for the Alien franchise. // iT...

In this heartfelt, free-ranging episode, Jaime and Patrick discuss one of the most important film characters in their lives: Ellen Ripley. Anchoring the conversation to Ripley's role in Alien, they branch into a larger conversation on gender, class, race, and representation in this classic film—and how Sigourney Weaver's performance broke every mold imaginable.  Join us as we enter the final month...

In this episode, our contributor, and lead admin of Building Better Worlds, Conar Murdoch, sits down with Stevie J Douglas, the director of Alien 3: The Unfilmed Script. From his first experiences with the Alien series, to how he reimagined a stage play based off Vincent Ward's unused script, Conar and Stevie host what is a brilliant and hilarious episode, casting light on the base story for what...

The 1970s was a decade of astounding creative leaps in Hollywood. In this special episode, Jaime and Patrick welcome first-time guest Mike Denis to talk about this unique period in the history of film—and how Alien, that dark masterpiece we love so dearly, might just be the decade's crowning achievement. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com . // If you’d...

In this special review episode, Jaime and Patrick review Alexandre O. Philippe's recently released (and long-awaited) documentary on Alien. It's an in-depth discussion, so we recommend you watch the film before listening to this episode. Do you agree with our thoughts? Did you see the film differently? Let us know over on Building Better Worlds! // For more on this and our other projects, please v...

In this wild, hilarious roundtable discussion, Jaime and Patrick are joined by frequent guest Dave ( xenomorphing.com ) and returning guest Michael ( michaelscudieri.com ) as the gang discusses unpopular Alien Saga opinions—their own, and some of the dozens (hundreds?) shared on a recent Building Better Worlds thread. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com...

Jerry Goldsmith's remarkable score for Alien is an achievement for the ages—but why? What makes it so beautifully suited to this film? Why was Goldsmith—who wasn't Scott's first choice—the only composer who could've pulled this masterpiece off? In this extraordinarily deep dive, Jaime and Patrick look at Goldsmith's life, career, and musical style. And using Patrick's background as a professional...

Join us as we take a brief hiatus from our Forbidden Planet series to talk current events! A recent short film, which you can see here , has given us another glimpse into David's lab—and presented some fascinating implications for Alien canon. In this catch-up episode, Jaime and Patrick are joined by the always wonderful MUTHUR9000 ( yutani.studio ) to talk about this short film, current events in...

Patrick and Jaime are joined by Xenomorphing founder and editor Dave Gogel to further discuss Ridley Scott, and his now iconic brand of filmmaking. This was a fun episode that veers off into many many tangents. We hope you enjoy!   // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com . // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebook group: Buil...

As we continue our year-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of Alien, we've finally arrived at the man behind the camera: Sir Ridley Scott. To say Scott was a bizarre choice to helm Alien would be putting it mildly. Virtually unknown outside of commercials and television—with just one feature film (an epic about Napoleonic War-era swordplay) to his name—Scott ended up being an almost impossib...

It's impossible to overstate just how revolutionary—and how brilliant—HR Giger's work on Alien was. But why? Why does his work continue to enthrall and haunt us? Why has it gone on to define the look of "horror in space" for the past four decades? On this next installment into our Forbidden Planet series, hosts JM Prater and Patrick Greene welcome a special guest: Majid Shanaa, longtime listener a...

In this episode, Jaime and Patrick are joined by special guests Aaron Percival of AvP Galaxy, MUTHUR9000, and Perfect Organism team members Conar and Sean to discuss how Alien: Covenant is sitting with all of us two years after its release. This was a wonderful hour-and-a-half discussion diving back into a film that continues to be controversial with the fan base. // For more on this and our other...

Join us in this love-fest of a roundtable as JM, Patrick, MUTHUR9000, Dave, Sean, Shaun, and Conar look back on all the things that made the fourth annual Alien Day such a rousing success. From the North Bergen High School play to the Tongal short films, there was a ton to unpack. After a year of huge uncertainty—about the future of 20th Century Fox and the future of the franchise—we've emerged re...

Host JM Prater was pleased and delighted to sit down with Alien 40th Anniversary short film director Ben Howdeshell to discuss his film Alien: Harvest, which releases today via IGN and YouTube. From his first story proposal, to how he lit his sets, Ben goes in-depth on the process that brought his brilliant short film to life. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorg...

Patrick and Jaime were delighted to sit down with Diane O'Bannon—wife of Dan O'Bannon, the original writer and screenwriter on Alien. In this interview, Diane speaks about the origins of Alien, her meeting Dan, his dreams and hopes, and the legacy he's left behind. Alien would not be possible without Dan O'Bannon. Let’s pay tribute to the man who discovered our Forbidden Planet forty years ago. //...

Welcome to The Forbidden Planet—our long-awaited full series on Alien! On this kickoff episode, hosts Jaime and Patrick unpack Alien's importance in film history, in their lives, and in global popular culture. Why does it still haunt us? Why does it still inspire us? How does it fit in the continuum of science fiction—and how did it alter that continuum forever? We're celebrating the fortieth anni...

At last, we've reached a stopping point on our journey down 40 Miles of Bad Road. But don't worry! We'll be revisiting the series from time to time in the years to come. As we sit here and reflect on the road we've traveled—the stories we've heard, the reflections we've shared, the people we've met along the way—we thought it would be a nice moment to open the conversation up a bit.  On this enorm...

In Part eight of our series on ALIENS, Jaime and Patrick discuss whether or not the film is overrated and overhyped. This is an intriguing conversation that led to a few other topics surrounding how originals movies are allowed to be these days. This was a great discourse and we hope you enjoy listening as much as we loved talking about it.   // For more on this and our other projects, please visi...

Jaime and Patrick step away from 40 Miles of Bad Road to address the recent swirl of rumors making their way through fandom. The hosts continue on to discuss their recent meetup at USC in Los Angeles to enjoy the 40th Anniversary Alien exhibit.  // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com . // If you’d like to join the conversation, find us on our closed Facebo...

What makes the characters in Aliens so unforgettable? Join hosts Jaime and Patrick as they team up with special guests Dave (of Xenomorphing.com) and Dan (of Shoulder of Orion: The Blade Runner Podcast) to uncover some of the reasons these characters live on so strongly in our hearts and in our memories. // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com . // If you’d...

Join hosts Jaime and Patrick on this extended look at Alien: Blackout, the brand-new Amanda Ripley-centric mobile game! Patrick's been playing it for nearly two weeks, and offers some extensive thoughts on the design, gameplay, replayability, and more. For an even deeper review, be sure to check out our website! // For more on this and our other projects, please visit www.perfectorganism.com . //...